Boot and shoe cleaning and polishing machine.



PATENTED FEB. 27, 1906.

v B. F. LLOYD.

BOOT AND SHOE CLEANING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-11.1904.

Q E K N N m G H y B MAGS/V7019 fienjcuzzin Fur/mg LZaycZ ,4 7mm m TE STATES PATENT orrron.

BENJAMIN FURNEY LLOYD, F CHERRY GARDENS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA,

' AUSTRALIA.

No. elaeoe.

. Specification of Letters Patent. Application and August 11, 1904. an in. 220,357.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

To all whom it may conaernb about line a b of Fig. 1.

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FURNEY LLOYD, vigneron, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Cherry Gardens, in the State of South Australia, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented a certain new and useful Boot and Shoe Cleaning and Polishing Machine, of which the following -is a specification.

This invention comprises a mpchine for cleaning and polishing boots and shoes; and it consists of a suitablebed carrying a' reciprocating frame provided with brushes and amovable slide.

The reciprocating frame carries brushes arranged, preferably, in three pairs of s ecial form and attachment and is connecte to a crank disk or handle, whereby it is reciprocated. Of the brushes the first pair removes the dirt, the second pair applies the blacking, and the third pair polishes the boots. The

movable slide is fitted with, lasts of springstcel wire, upon which the boots are fitted, and so passed betweenthe several pairs of brushes. The blacking-suppiy is preferably mounted upon the reciprocating frame. I

In order that my invention may be clearl understood, I will describe the same wit reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine complete. Fig. 2 is a cross-section at Fig. 3 is a plan .view of the reciprocain frame with brushes. Fig. 4 is a side view 0 the movable slide. The

slide is shown divided into three parts hinged 'ning down the center.

together. Fig. 5represents'one of the parts of the slide partly in section to show the methodiof holding the spring-last. Fig; 6 shows one of the brushes with its bridge-piece and projecting pins. Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating the connection between a brush and the reci rocating frame. Fig. 8 is a detail sectiona view of the toe-piece of the last.

The bed (A illustrated in the drawings) is constructed of wood and consists of a rectan-.

gular frame, with a longitudinal piece run- The upper portion of such longitudinal piece has a central dovetail groove which carries the movable slide B. At each side of the central dovetail groove is a bar C of inverted-V shape, the two bars forming runners for a reciprocating frame formed of two boardsD D, connected together by arch-shaped metal stays E E, the bottoms of which are shaped to rest upon and embrace the aforesaid runners, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. I

The reciprocating frame is moved backward and forward by means of a crank-handle F anddisk with eccentric-pin, the pin being connected to a suitable point on the frame by a" rod G. The axle .of the crank handle and disk issupported in a wide bearing H, attached to the table or bed. The length of movement of the frame is preferably about eight inches from end to end.

Upon the inside of the two boards D D of the reciprocating frame are secured the brushes K'K, arranged in three pairs. The

brushes are made of concave shape, and they I age fixed to the boards in such a way that t e back, and front of the boots. The method of fixing is shown more particularly in Fi s. 3 and 6 and is'as follows: To the back of t e brush is secured a bridge piece L, in the center of which is a hole, through which passes the reduced end or point of a thumb-screw M. The thumb-screw is retained therein by being upset or by other means, the connection being loose, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the brush,

can oscillate upon the screw point. The screw engages a thread in the board D, and on being rotated the brush is moved toward operate upon every part-of thesides,

or from the board. Near each end of the I brush is a long pin N, which passes through an elongated opening in the board D, so that the brush can rock n on the central'screw. A spiral spring 0 is tted upon eachof the pins N between the bridge-piece L and the card D to make the brushes more sensitive in" their movement. The springs O render the brushes more sensitive in their movement, owing to the fact that when one end of the brush is forced backward the spring at that end is compressed, while the spring at the other end is allowed to expand, (see Fig. 7,) and the tendency of thecompressed s ring is to throw the brush back immediately t e boot is removed from that end. As the brushes I ether to suit the size of boot and also alows them to work round the heel and toe as the frame is'reciprocated.

The blacking is carried in a vessel 1 5 mounted upon the reciprocatin frame .over

the central pair of brushes, aii is provided with pipes 19,- from which the blacking drips u on the brushes, one pipe discharging over t e heel portion and one over the toe portion ofthe brushes. 7

The boots are carried upon spring-steel lastsQ, fitted upon the central slide B, which slide is preferably divided into three parts connected together by hinges, so that the I 5 end parts may be turned upward, if necessary,

when clear of the dovetail groove before described. If preferred, however, the hinges may be omitted and each last may be carried by a separate short slide, as shown in Fi 5. Each of the lasts is constructed of springsteel wire, fitted with a heel-piece R and a toe-piece S, as shown in Fi 5, in which the boot is shown in dotted Iines only. The heel-piece is solid ,but the toe-piece, as shown 2 5 in Fig. 8, is formed of two wings hinged together and fitted with springs beneath, which allow the wings to be closed when a boot is being placed on or taken off, but spread them when the boot is in place for cleaning. The

last is fitted into the slide by means of a in V and tongue W, key-fashion, the pin tting into a vertical hole and the tongue engagin a socket, as shown in Fig. 5. To enter t e last, it is turned with the boot to the rear and the pin and tongue dropped into place in the socket. The last is then turned to the front, the tongue moving into its socket and the toe of the boot restin u on the wedge or block T on the slide. he oots are placed on the spring-last before the last is secured on the s ide v y In using my machine the boots are placed upon the spring-lasts, the lasts secured in the slide, and the slide entered in the dovetail 5 groove. The reciprocating frame is then operatifd b the handle moving the brushes bac an forth upon the boots. The first v pair take the dirt off, the second spread the lacking evenl over the whole surface, and

the third polis the boots. Three boots are operated on at the one time and as one boot is finished the slide is moved on and another boot operated upon. It is convenient to have several slides to each machine.

Having now fully described and ascerlongitudinal members connected to ether by stays, stationary runners upon whic the bottom portions of said stays slide, the said runners being supported by a suitable bed, brushes carried by said longitudinal members and arranged in pairs, thumb-screws for adjustably attaching the brushes to the lonitudinal members so that the brushes can e moved in and out bodily to accommodate various sized boots, the connection between the screws and the brushes being loose so that the brushes may rock upon the screws to operate upon the back and front of the boots substantially as "described and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a boot cleaning and polishing niachine the combination with a reciprocating frame of brushes arranged in pairs and each having a concave face, and means for flexibly securing the brushes to the frame, the said means comprising a bridge-piece on the back of each brush, and a thumb-screw at the center of the bridge-piece, and securing it to the frame, the bridge-piece having a long pin at each end passingthrough a slot-opening in the frame substantially as described and for the purpose set forth. I

3. In a boot cleaning and polishing machine the combination of a reciprocating frame, concave-faced brushes arranged in 0 pairs, bridge-pieces secured to the backs of the brushes, one to each brush, thumbsorews attached at their points to the bridgepieces and having their screw-threads engaglng screw-threads in the frame, pins projecting from each end of the bridge-pieces to and through slot openin s in the frame, and spiral springs mounte upon the said pins between the brid e-piece and the frame, all substantially as escribed and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a boot and shoe cleaning and polishing machine, a reciprocating frame comprising two longitudinal members, arch-shaped metal stays connecting said members, sta- L0 tionary bars on which the lower ends .of said stays are fitted to slide, brushes arranged in airs, thumb-screws adjustable in the,said ongitudinal members, the said brushes being,

mounted to rock on the inner ends of said no screws, and means for. maintainin the brushes in an ap roximatel horizonta position, substantialiy as de'scri ed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 1st. day of July, A. D. 1904, in 1 IS the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

. BENJAMIN FURNE Witnesses:

ARTHUR GORE COLLLSON,

WILLIAM SPEAKMAN HANSON.

LLOYD. 

